Fifth Xiangxi Moni Festival to Open in Beijing

The Fifth China (Xiangxi) Moni (smearing mud on body) Festival will kick off at Chinese Ethnic Culture Park, Beijing on June 22, 2018. Authentic folk customs of Tujia ethnic group will be presented.

Moni Festival is originated from Tujia’s time-honored traditional customs. Tujia young men and women express their love by smearing mud on their faces and bodies. It has been held for 5 sessions since 2015. It has a far-reaching influence on inheriting national cultural heritage, carrying forward national spirit, enriching people’s cultural life, creating rural travel brands, boosting targeted poverty alleviation, and achieving rural vitalization.

The festival aims to build a large platform for poverty alleviation through cultural travel, which integrates culture, travel, and economy and trade.

Between June 22 and August 30, various folk activities featuring local characteristics will be held in Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Furong Town, Red Stone Forest Park, and Fenghuang. The charm of traditional culture will be presented through intangible cultural heritage exhibition and performances; multi-ethnic mud-smearing carnival; and mud-smearing parade, and other cultural activities.

Intangible cultural heritage performance (file photo)

Young people paint each other’s face with colorful mud to pray for happiness. (file photo)